Heirs: The Third Generation

LINCOLNWOOD, Ill., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ — Much has been written and researched about the Survivors of the Holocaust and the children of Survivors of the Holocaust. But what about the next generation — the grandchildren?

Up until now, nothing has focused on grandchildren of Survivors of the Holocaust. Why? Some might say it is because those grandchildren are just now getting old enough to talk to. Or, is it because Survivors and their children both hoped that the grandchildren would not carry their traumas. Or, is it that “Schindler's List” has created a climate for discussion of the Holocaust? Or, is it because of the rise of neo-Nazi organizations and Holocaust deniers, and the materials sent out over the Internet? Or, is it that the Survivor generation is dying and doesn't want to go “quietly into the night?”

Founded by veteran Holocaust interviewer Chicagoan Phyllis Dreazen, Holocaust Educational Intergenerational Research Studies (HEIRS) will study a wide spectrum of grandchildren of the survivors of the Holocaust, reached through Hillels, schools, the Internet and other established organizations around the word. Dreazen plans to conduct 1, 000 in-depth interviews. The information gained will be the basis for a book, and the data collected will be made available to health professionals. An intergenerational conference is also planned to coincide with the completion of the first phase of the project.

HEIRS: The Third Generation (HEIRS), a newly created, not-for-profit Illinois Corporation in accordance with section 501 (c) (3) of the United States Internal Revenue code, has been established to explore what has happened and is happening to this third generation.

Dreazen, among her Holocaust activities, has been involved with Steven Spielberg's Survivors of the Shoah Visual History video archive since it began. She served as producer-director for more than 100 professional video interviews, including interviews with Survivors and their family members and is one of the most experienced interviewers of this genre in the world.

Dreazen estimates she will need $350,000.00 to begin the first in-depth, multi-year, study of the grandchildren of the Holocaust. Several anonymous individuals have already made donations.

HEIRS: The 3rd Generation is located at 4433 W. Touhy/Ste 202, Lincolnwood, IL 60646. The phone number for further information is 847-674-3224.

SOURCE: Holocaust Educational Intergenerational Research Studies

Copyright © 1997, PR Newswire, all rights reserved.